U.S. patent number 4,041,937 [Application Number 05/716,531] was granted by the patent office on 1977-08-16 for medical implement.
Invention is credited to Marcellina Diaz.
United States Patent |
4,041,937 |
Diaz |
August 16, 1977 |
Medical implement
Abstract
A tongue blade having a pressure pad for firmly depressing and
holding a patient's tongue. The blade includes an attachable bite
guard for protecting the patient's teeth and for maintaining a
clear air passageway through the patient's mouth. A depth guide
prevents overinsertion of the blade. In a modified embodiment the
pressure pad is premoistened with an antiseptic solution.
Inventors: |
Diaz; Marcellina (St. Albans,
NY) |
Family
ID: |
24878365 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/716,531 |
Filed: |
August 23, 1976 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
600/240;
128/859 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
1/24 (20130101); A61B 13/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
13/00 (20060101); A61B 1/24 (20060101); A61B
001/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/15,136,359,360,147,208,12,13,16,20 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Michell; Robert W.
Assistant Examiner: Layton; Henry S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Natter & Natter
Claims
Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and
desired to be secured by Letters Patent:
1. A medical implement in the form of a tongue blade suitable for
use in rendering first aid assistance to seizure patients
comprising a planar blade body having pressure pad means secured at
one end thereof for contacting the patient's tongue to hold same
firmly in place, mouthpiece means attached to the blade body being
located for registration with the confronting upper and lower teeth
of the patient for providing protective cushioned tooth impact,
said mouthpiece further having depth guide means extending
transversely from the blade body for contacting the periphery of
the mouth to prevent overinsertion of the tongue blade.
2. A medical implement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blade body
has a tapered nose portion of reduced width dimension and
terminates in a flared rounded head, said configuration
facilitating the securement of the pressure pad to the blade
body.
3. A medical implement as claimed in claim 2 includes plural layers
of cushioning material surrounding the nose portion and fastening
means for securing same thereto.
4. A medical implement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pressure
pad includes premoistened cotton swab surrounding the nose portion
and fastening means for securing same thereto.
5. A medical instrument as claimed in claim 2 wherein the
mouthpiece has a slotted passageway therethrough and the blade body
has conforming recesses for receiving the mouthpiece to effect a
snap fitting assembly.
6. A medical instrument as claimed in claim 5 wherein the
mouthpiece is fabricated of a soft pliable material.
7. A medical implement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mouthpiece
includes a bite guard having a height dimension greater than the
thickness of the blade body and being adapted to maintain a
displacement between the upper and lower front teeth to provide an
air passageway through the mouth.
8. A medical implement as claimed in claim 7 wherein the depth
guide means includes two wing sections, said wing sections being
adapted for abutment against the patient's mouth.
9. A medical implement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said wing
sections are provided with a plurality of breathing apertures.
10. A medical implement as claimed in claim 7 further including a
finger gripping portion for increasing frictional resistance and
providing a firm grasp.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a medical implement and especially to a
first aid device for use during convulsive seizures.
In particular, the device of this invention concerns a medical
implement in the form of a tongue blade.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Convulsive disorders such as epilepsy are symptomatically
characterized by recurrent seizures. The occurrence of these sudden
attacks can also result from nonepileptic phenomena. First aid
treatment for such patients currently includes protective measures
to prevent choking, broken teeth, biting of the tongue, and for
maintaining a clear air passage. If such an attack occurs within
the confines of a medical facility, a doctor, nurse or hospital
attendant frequently inserts a conventional wood tongue depressor
into the patient's mouth for the duration of the spell. A
disadvantage of this procedure especially when used by untrained
personnel is that the tongue depressor can be improperly inserted
and may provoke choking, damage to the mouth and surrounding tissue
or blockage of the air passageway resulting in possible
suffocation. Furthermore, such conventional tongue depressors are
frequently incapable of preventing tongue biting.
A further shortcoming of this known procedure is that it does not
provide any positive measures for tooth protection or for
maintaining an open passageway through the mouth.
An additional defect is inherent in the fact that tongue depressors
generally available are not specifically designed for this purpose
and therefore are not provided in sufficient length, nor do they
include elements for firmly gripping one end of the instrument.
The medical appliance of the present invention overcomes many of
these disadvantages and accordingly includes a tip portion having a
cushioned pressure pad with a gripping surface at the other end for
facilitating manipulation of the appliance. The instrument further
incorporates a mouthpiece having a bite guard and a depth guide to
prevent injury to the patient.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The medical implement of this invention is specifically designed to
protect a patient during a seizure. The device is comprised of a
flat planar member forming a blade body and adapted to be inserted
into a patient's mouth. The blade includes at one end thereof a
cushioned pressure pad for depressing and firmly holding the tongue
in place to prevent choking or tongue biting. The pressure pad is
formed with multiple layers of sterile gauze secured to a tapered
nose section of the blade. An alternate construction utilizes
cotton swabbing enveloped by a gauze sheath. The cotton is
premoistened by partially saturating with an antiseptic solution to
prevent adhesion of the pressure pad to the tongue and to further
introduce a pleasant taste.
The medical instrument has a mouthpiece forming a bite guard and a
depth guide. The mouthpiece is designed for positioning on the
blade so that the bite guard will be in registration with the
patient's front teeth. The bite guard is fabricated of a soft
yieldable material to provide for cushioned impact so as to prevent
tooth damage. Furthermore, the thickness of the bite guard is
gauged to provide and maintain an air passage essential for the
patient's breathing. The mouthpiece also has a flared portion
extending outwardly along opposite edges of the blade to form the
depth guide. This checks against overinsertion of the instrument
and possible injury to the patient's mouth. Further, the instrument
cannot fall into the patient's throat when left unattended with the
instrument in his mouth. Additionally, each of the flared or wing
portions of the depth guide is provided with one or more breathing
apertures.
The structure of the medical implement of this invention includes a
plurality of striations providing a frictional gripping
surface.
The blades are preferably fabricated of a smooth hard wood material
or of plastic and can be provided in different lengths such as
would be suitable for a child patient or an adult. The nose portion
of the blade is tapered as illustrated to prevent the pressure pad
from slipping off. Additionally, the mouthpiece can be separately
assembled on the blade by placing the nose portion through the slot
and by sliding the mouthpiece into snap fitting engagement within
the recessed area provided on the blade.
The striated portion of the friction grip is preferably formed with
recessed insets as shown and can employ a rubber material for
providing the requisite coefficient of friction.
Having thus summarized the invention, it will be seen that an
object thereof is to provide a medical implement of the general
character described herein.
Specifically, it is an object of the instant invention to provide
an improved tongue blade for use in furnishing first aid to a
seizure victim.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved tongue
blade having a cushioned pressure pad at one end for contacting and
holding the patient's tongue.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an
improved tongue blade having a bite guard and integral depth guide
for protecting the patient's teeth and providing a clear air
passageway through the mouth.
An additional object of this invention is to provide an improved
tongue blade having a friction gripping handle portion to
facilitate hand manipulation of the instrument.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of this
invention will be apparent from the following description of the
preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the accompanying drawings in which is shown the preferred
embodiment of this invention:
FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of the improved tongue blade
with a portion of the pressure pad being broken away;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along
line 2--2 of FIG. 1 and shows the cushioned pressure pad at one end
including the arrangement of a bite guard and integral depth
guide;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the blade portion with the bite guard and
frictional gripping striations being shown in broken line;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4--4 of
FIG. 1 and shows the arrangement of plural layers of gauze being
affixed around the blade portion; and
FIG. 4A is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, however
showing a modified construction wherein moist cotton swab is placed
around the blade portion and enveloped with a gauze sheath.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral 10
denotes generally a preferred embodiment of a seizure tongue blade
of this invention. The seizure tongue blade 10 is comprised of a
planar body portion 12 having a tapered nose section 14 as shown in
FIG. 3. The nose section 14 has a necked down portion 15 of reduced
width dimension and terminates in a flared rounded head 17. The
blade body 12 is preferably fabricated from a smooth hard wood or
thermoplastic material. The typical dimensions of the blade body 12
are from 13.7 cm. to 17.5 cm. in length, from 0.3 cm. to 0.9 cm. in
thickness and from 1.9 cm. to 2.2 cm. in width at its widest
dimension. The particular size and dimensions would be scaled
within these ranges for particular applications, such as for
children or adults.
The tapered nose section 14 is adapted to support a cushioned
pressure pad 16. The pressure pad 16 is formed by the application
of several layers of sterile gauze completely surrounding the
tapered nose section 14 and anchored in place by a suitable
fastening material such as a strip of adhesive 20. The tapered
configuration of the nose section 14 will prevent the pressure pad
16 from sliding disengagement in the event a force is exerted
tending to pull the pressure pad 16 from the blade body 12.
A feature of this invention includes the incorporation of a
mouthpiece 22. The mouthpiece 22 includes a bite guard 24 and a
depth guide 26. The mouthpiece 22 is adapted to be assembled on the
blade body 12 by inserting the tapered nose section 14 through a
slot 23 provided in the mouthpiece 22 for snap-fitting engagement
within a recessed area 30 provided in the blade body 12 for
accommodating the mouthpiece 22. The bite guard 24 is positioned on
the blade body 12 as to be in registration with the confronting
upper and lower front teeth of a patient when the seizure tongue
blade is inserted within the patient's mouth. Accordingly, the
mouthpiece 22 is preferably fabricated of a soft pliable material
such as rubber or other such resilient material so as to protect
the patient's teeth upon contact and to cushion the impact. The
thickness of the bite guard is typically between 0.6 cm. and 1.9
cm. and thus will displace the front teeth and lips to provide an
air passageway. Rearwardly positioned from the bite guard 24 is the
depth guide 26 having flange extension wings 32, 34 extending
transversely with respect to the blade body 12. These wings 32, 34
typically have a combined overall span in the range of 7.5 cm. to
10 cm. and are adapted to contact the mouth periphery to limit
overinsertion of the seizure tongue blade 10. A plurality of
breathing apertures such as those shown at 36, 38 are provided
within the respective wing members 32, 34 and extend therethrough.
Progressing further along the blade body 12 are positioned a number
of striations 40, 42, 44 which are located in the handle portion of
the blade body 12. These bands or striations 40, 42, 44 are set
into recesses in the blade body 12 to provide a friction gripping
surface and are preferably made of rubber or other material which
will permit the implement to be firmly gripped. Alternatively, the
blade body 12 can be scored to provide a rougher surface.
FIG. 4A is illustrative of a modified embodiment of a cushioned
pressure pad 16a. In this variant a cotton swab material 18a is
placed around the nose portion 14a and held in place by an
enveloping gauze sheath 20a. The cotton swab 18a is premoistened
with an antiseptic solution and can be flavored to provide a
pleasant taste.
The seizure tongue blade 10 should be packaged in a suitable
envelope or hermetically sealed in a container to insure that it
remains in a sterile condition prior to use. Further, this will
prevent evaporation of the solution described in the modified
embodiment.
In operation, the seizure tongue blade 10 is adapted to be inserted
into the mouth of a seizure victim with the pressure pad 16 being
applied to depress the victim's tongue to provide a clear air
passage and to prevent biting of the tongue. The mouthpiece 22
provides a protective bite guard 24 which will receive the
patient's upper and lower front teeth and maintain an open space
between the teeth to permit breathing and release of saliva as when
the patient's face is turned to the side. The depth guide 26 is
adapted for abutment against the patient's mouth and is used as a
precautionary measure to prevent overinsertion of the seizure
tongue blade 10 which might result in damage to the surrounding
tissue or possible choking. As a further aid to permit proper
breathing, the apertures 36, 38 provide an air passage to the
patient's mouth. The cushioned pressure pad 16 is adapted to firmly
hold the patient's tongue in position.
In the alternate embodiment described, the pressure pad 16a is
premoistened and will thus prevent adherence to surrounding tissue.
A flavoring substance may be added to the moistening agent to
provide a pleasant taste upon removal.
As other possible embodiments of the present invention and various
changes might be incorporated by those skilled in the art without
departing from the spirit of the invention, it should be understood
that the invention is not limited to what is described in the
specification and should not be interpreted in a limiting
sense.
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